[worry]

Aside from some iffy language (e.g. "normal") -- and the fact that this is a 'debate' at all -- solid clip.

[Mentalist]

So, are India and Pakistan gonna have a serious go at Kashmir this time around?

Doesn't really seem like the best time for it, but I've seen analysis that after the pro-Indian head of Bangladesh got ousted and the caretaker govt is being chummy with China, Modi is feeling boxed in, with Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Bangladesh and Pakistan all favouring Bejing over New Delhi.
And Pakistan is seen as the weakest link to break this encirclement. Still, I somehow doubt any sort of blitzkrieg is viable here.

At the same time, both China and the Philippines are staging flag raises on a contested South China Sea island, that's technically Vietnamese? Obviously, trump's signals that he might recognize the Anschluss of Crimea as legitimate is emboldening others would-be-map-redrawers.

[Cause]

Mentalist, on 28 April 2025 - 05:56 PM, said:

So, are India and Pakistan gonna have a serious go at Kashmir this time around?

Doesn't really seem like the best time for it, but I've seen analysis that after the pro-Indian head of Bangladesh got ousted and the caretaker govt is being chummy with China, Modi is feeling boxed in, with Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Bangladesh and Pakistan all favouring Bejing over New Delhi.
And Pakistan is seen as the weakest link to break this encirclement. Still, I somehow doubt any sort of blitzkrieg is viable here.

At the same time, both China and the Philippines are staging flag raises on a contested South China Sea island, that's technically Vietnamese? Obviously, trump's signals that he might recognize the Anschluss of Crimea as legitimate is emboldening others would-be-map-redrawers.

I feel like I went to bed and woke up and this was suddenly a story. What happened, is it as sudden as it seems or has the news failed me.

[Mentalist]

Cause, on 30 April 2025 - 03:06 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 28 April 2025 - 05:56 PM, said:

So, are India and Pakistan gonna have a serious go at Kashmir this time around?

Doesn't really seem like the best time for it, but I've seen analysis that after the pro-Indian head of Bangladesh got ousted and the caretaker govt is being chummy with China, Modi is feeling boxed in, with Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Bangladesh and Pakistan all favouring Bejing over New Delhi.
And Pakistan is seen as the weakest link to break this encirclement. Still, I somehow doubt any sort of blitzkrieg is viable here.

At the same time, both China and the Philippines are staging flag raises on a contested South China Sea island, that's technically Vietnamese? Obviously, trump's signals that he might recognize the Anschluss of Crimea as legitimate is emboldening others would-be-map-redrawers.

I feel like I went to bed and woke up and this was suddenly a story. What happened, is it as sudden as it seems or has the news failed me.

There was a terrorist attack in Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, and it was aimed at Hindu men. The terrorists were protesting the fact that hindus were settling India-held part of Kashmir, altering the region's demographics.
New Delhi was quick to blame Pakistan for the attack and seems to have started buildup on the border. Islamabad is mirroring teh reaction, and neither side seems pre-disposed towards de-escalating.

[Tiste Simeon]

Hey Garak, what's the mood like in Romania atm? Do you think that the Georgescu party will win? (I know he himself can't run but they seem to have a lot of no doubt Susan paid influencers on their side)

[Macros]

Sweet suffering fuck Labour.
You win a generational majority and fuck it up so badly Reform and cleaning up in the by elections.

You useless bastards

[Cyphon]

I would posit that Labour didn't wind a landslide, the tories lost one. Not much governance of leadership going on from Labour pre and post election.

[Tsundoku]

Macros, on 02 May 2025 - 12:44 PM, said:

Sweet suffering fuck Labour.You win a generational majority and fuck it up so badly Reform and cleaning up in the by elections.You useless bastards

Yeah, got to admit it's pretty much the fastest I've ever seen a new govt go from popular to reviled. We don't include Trump and his bunch of ****s.

Cyphon, on 02 May 2025 - 04:31 PM, said:

I would posit that Labour didn't wind a landslide, the tories lost one. Not much governance of leadership going on from Labour pre and post election.

Yes. In a democracy the new govt isn't voted in, the old govt is voted out.

[Macros]

Potatoes potatoes

They had a chance to make lasting changes and fucked it which ever way you cut it.

Inheritance tax, absolutely needed reformed to stop mass land purchase.
They half ass it and piss everyone off. Make it the full 40%, cap at 3m to protect nearly every active farm in the country. Add in caveats must be a working farm, actively worked by the Inheritaning people to be exempt etc. 20% rate is still a saving, land prices will not come down, and they have been driven up solely by non farming land grabbers as tax dodges, even the sanctimonious Jeremy Clarkson (although he conveniently has forgotten this) admitted he originally bought his farm as an Inheritance tax dodge.
Wishy washy on every front.

I'd still rather them than any of the ghouls in the tories or certainly reform but my God have they been a let down with the golden position they have been handed

Eat the rich

[Tiste Simeon]

Sounds like the Aussies have booted their trump wannabe?